Wellbore plug and abandonment

Abstract

A downhole tool for conveyance within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. The downhole tool includes a sealing material and a laser apparatus, and is operable to create and fill a void with the sealing material to form a plug during a plug and abandonment operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 conveying a downhole tool within a wellbore, said wellbore extending below a wellsite surface and comprising a downhole damaged portion therein, wherein the downhole tool comprises a laser cutting apparatus and a sealing material, the sealing material disposed at least partially within or around a housing of the downhole tool, said downhole tool positioned in a desired location relative to said downhole damaged portion of said wellbore; 
 operating the laser cutting apparatus to form one or more radial slots extending outwardly from said wellbore, said one or more radial slots disposed along a plane extending substantially vertically or diagonally with respect to the wellsite surface, said one or more radial slots extending axially along said wellbore at least the length of said damaged portion; 
 operating the laser cutting apparatus to remove material from said one or more radial slots, said one or more radial slots extending into at least one of:
 a subterranean formation penetrated by the wellbore; 
 a casing secured within the wellbore; and/or 
 a cement sheath securing the casing within the wellbore; and 
 
 placing the sealing material in a void created by the material removal, without removing the downhole tool from the wellbore. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein operating the laser cutting apparatus to remove the material comprises removing portions of each of the subterranean formation, a member of the casing, and the cement sheath, such that the void completely severs the casing member into two discrete portions. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the method is a plug and abandonment operation, and wherein placing the sealing material in the void creates a plug fluidly isolating first and second sections of the wellbore on opposing sides of the plug. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  not comprising utilizing a drilling rig. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  wherein conveying the downhole tool is via a through-tubing conveyance. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4  wherein conveying the downhole tool is via coiled tubing. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4  wherein conveying the downhole tool is via wireline. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising, after the material removal but before the sealing material placement, inducing relative movement of the laser cutting apparatus and the sealing material. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein placing the sealing material in the void comprises operating the downhole tool to melt the sealing material and directing the melted sealing material into the void. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the sealing material is carried with the downhole tool in particulate form, and wherein placing the sealing material in the void comprises:
 directing the sealing material into the void; and 
 melting the sealing material within the void. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  wherein the laser cutting apparatus comprises a laser beam deflector, and operating the laser cutting apparatus for the material removal comprises operating the laser cutting apparatus to rotate the laser beam deflector and thereby rotate a laser beam through 360 degrees to create the void as a substantially continuous 360-degree slot surrounding the wellbore and extending axially a desired distance along the wellbore. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein placing the sealing material in the void comprises operating the laser cutting apparatus to direct the laser beam onto the sealing material and rotate the laser beam through 360 degrees to melt an annular portion of the sealing material. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1  wherein the wellbore extends from a wellsite surface, and wherein the method further comprises:
 communicating a fluid from the wellsite surface to the downhole tool via a coiled tubing; and 
 cleaning the void with the fluid before placing the sealing material in the void. 
 
     
     
       14. An apparatus comprising:
 a downhole tool for conveyance within a wellbore, said wellbore extending below a wellsite surface and comprising a downhole damaged portion therein, wherein the downhole tool comprises: 
 a laser cutting apparatus operable to remove material from at least one of:
 a subterranean formation penetrated by the wellbore; 
 a casing secured within the wellbore; and/or 
 a cement sheath securing the casing within the wellbore, 
 
 wherein said laser cutting apparatus is operable to form one or more radial slots extending outwardly from said wellbore, said one or more radial slots disposed along a plane extending substantially vertically or diagonally with respect to the wellsite surface and extending axially along the wellbore at least the length of said downhole damaged portion of said wellbore; 
 a sealing material disposed at least partially within or around a housing of the downhole tool; and 
 a heating device operable to melt the sealing material, wherein the downhole tool is operable, in a single trip when conveyed into the wellbore, to remove the material, melt the sealing material, and form a plug comprising the sealing material in a void by solidifying the sealing material when cooled, wherein the void is created by the material removal operation of the laser cutting apparatus. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the plug fluidly isolates first and second sections of the wellbore on opposing sides of the plug. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the downhole tool is operable to form the plug in the void without removing the downhole tool from the wellbore. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the downhole tool is operable to form the plug in the void without utilizing a drilling rig. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the sealing material is a eutectic material having a eutectic temperature at which the eutectic material melts. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the sealing material comprises a metallic composition meltable downhole via operation of the heating device. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the conveyance is via through-tubing conveyance, coiled tubing, or wireline. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the sealing material is maintained at least partially or within the housing of the downhole tool by a container.